Snap-on dustguard



May 12, 1953 D. D. BRYANT SNAP-ON DUSTGUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 26, 1950 INVNTOR 3 MM b. S 7

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TroRNEYs May 12, 1953 D. D. BRYANT SNAP-ON DUSTGUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 26 19 50 the dustguards shown in rusting or spotting of the burnished journal ing seats often resulting in hot boxes causing de- Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SNAP- N DUSTGUARD Donald D. Bryant, Huntington, W. Va. Application Decembe'r 26, 1950, Serial No. 202,650

This invention is a novel snap-on dustguard for journal box housings or the adapted for use in freight car, passenger car, and locomotive trucks and tender journals, but may be used in any other desired places.

The present invention is an improvement on NO. 2,429,867 dated October 28, 1947, and No.

2,391,121 dated December 18, 1945.

The axles of freight and passenger cars, as

well as locomotive trucks and tenders, are journaled in journal box housings, and it is required by the A. A. R. to provide dustguards in said journal boxes in order to keep dust, dirt, water, moisture and other foreign or abrasive material from entering the end of the journal box housing Failure to provide along or around the axle. such dustguards would leave an opening through which such dust, dirt, grit, etc., picked up by the rapid'movement of the train could enter, the

same resulting in undue wear or abrasion between movable parts, or scoring of the highly polished or finished surface of the journals, or causing waste or packing thread grabs, or causing bearmyU. S. Letters Patents like, particularly railment, destruction of equipment, train delays,

or loss of human life to train crews as well as the travelling public.

' The dustguards now in general use, required ,by the A. A. R., are held in place in a, cavity 7 or formed in the journal box housing, and the dustguard is usually formed of rigid pocket cast plywood or fibre which fits into the cavity pocket,

the fibre or plywood sections of the dustguard being riveted or stapled together. The present 'dustguards are of little or no protection for the A purpose for which same are intended, since the same are not contractible so as to fit snugly around the axle, nor are same adjustable for wear. Moreover same, being rigid, are therefore liable to breakage since their rigidity allows n0 flexibility. Such'dustguards cannot be removed without removing the truck from the car and disengaging the entire truck assembly, and therefore the usual dustguards, above described, are

damaged or destroyed when the car is jacked-up i to remove or renew the journal brass, which brass must be renewed when damaged, worn, or when for any reason a failure therein occurs.

The brass is renewable without shopping the car for repair, but the dustguard, which has been danger or liability.

5 Claims. (01. 286-6) the hazard to the axles, and their appurtenances,

would prevent hotboxes, protect equipment, would save train delays and derailments and serious injuries to the train crews and the travelling public, and which would save needless expenditures for parts and labor.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a snap-on rack containing dustguard band sectors, adapted to fit into the usual cavity pocket cast in the journal box housing, which rack will not be damaged by jacking-up the car to remove the journal brass'as the brass may be readily removed after removing the rack from the cavity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dustguard as above described which may be entered bodily 'into and removed through the opening at the top of the dustguard cavity of the journal box, said dustgard carrying band sectors whereby as the dustguard is forced down into the cavity the sectors will be guided to encircle the journal, the dustguard band being held closely-in place around the axle journal to compensate for wear of the dustguard band sector.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snap-on dustguard of the above type which may be removed at any time without the use of extraneous tools, its ready accessibility making it convenient for removal at any place or time by merely pulling same out of the du'stguard tures of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings: Fig. 1 is a transverse section through the dust- "guard cavity of a journal box housing equipped detached.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the sector shown in Fig. 4.

Fi 6 is an end view of the sector, shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a reduced plan view of the snap spring.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the snap spring shown in Fig. 7

As shown, the axle journal J, of the car truck or other equipment, is entered in the normal manner into the journal box containing the pack-- ing saturated with lubricant in the usual manner, the particular form of the journal box forming no part of my present invention. Such journal boxes are customarily provided at their inner ends with a dustguard cavity B for the reception of the dust uard hereinbefore referred to.

In place of the usual dustguard formed of layers of plywood or fibre riveted or stapled together, I provide a snap-on dustguard of such size and dimension as to fit within the cavity B which is ordinarily open at the top of the journal box same making a loose fit within the cavity, as shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2.

My novel snap-on dustguard comprises a cover plate I adapted to close the open upper end of the dustguard cavity B in the journal box, said plate being of greater length than the width of the journal box, as shown in Fig. l, leaving overhanging portions Ia at each end thereof. The central portion of the cover plate I stamped so as to provide a centrally disposed upwardly extending portion lbof substantially triangular shape, while the portions of the plate I adjacent the ends are depressed as at lo, the bottom edges thereof forming substantial continuations of the upwardly extending tops of the extension lb, as shown, and the outer ends of the depressions Io forming shoulders Id spaced from the inner faces of the side walls of the cavity B to allow the cover plate I to shift laterally while extensions Ia, still cover the opening in the journal box. When cover plate I shifts laterally, one or the other shoulder Id will strike the side wall of the cavity and prevent the plates II and 3 (hereinafter referred to) from striking the side walls of the cavity and becoming damaged, said lateral shifting occurring generally during starting and stopping of the car, such motion jerking the axles lat ra y of the journal boxes. As the cover plate thus shifts and shoulder Id contacts the side wall of the cavity, since the snap spring [3 (hereinafter referred to) is pivoted thereto, the dustguard may move freely with the lateral motion of the axle and cannot become damaged. However, the plate I may be readily removed from the journal box by merely gripping the extensions Ia and lifting same upwardly. Extendingthrough the central upward extension Ib adjacent the center thereof are aligned openings Is for the reception of a. removable cotter pin 2 (Figs. 1 and 3) for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Adapted to be housed within, dustguard cavity B, is a rack consisting of spaced metallic plates 3-3 which are of general rectangular shape, each having a semi-circular recess 3a in its lower face of slightly larger radius than the exterior diameter or axle journal J, as indicated in Fig. 1, said semi-circular portion terminating opposite the horizontal axis of journal J, and having outwardly extending shoulders 32). The sides of the plates 3 at opposite sides of journal J extend as at 30 below the horizontal axis of journal J and are spaced from the inner walls of the cavity B of the journal box below the horizontal axis of journal J as shown in Fig. 1.

Preferably the plates 3 are maintained separated by means of a central block d and side blocks I5 (Figs. 1 and 3) through which rivets 5 or the like are passed, the blocks t and I5 being of thickness less than the length of dustguard cavity B of the journal box. Between the plates 3 extending around the arcuate portion ts from shoulder 3b to shoulder'ilb, is a felt or other packing 6 (Fig. 1), the same projecting beyond the semi-circular surface 3a and adapted to make a tight contact with the upper periphery of the axle journal J, when the rack is inserted into the cavity B in position shown in Fig. 1.

In the parallel plates 3, xtending from a point below the horizontal axis of journal J to a point adjacent the top periphery of the journal J, are arcuate slots 3d at each side of the journal J, the same having the same concentricity as the journal J. The lower ends 30 of the sides of the rack are open, and housed within the spaced lower ends 30 are sector shoes 1, shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, the same being of overall length to extend from points beyond the lower periphery of journal J to points above the horizontal axis of journal J when the dustguard is closed, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the inner periphery of each sector shoe 7 is a slot la in which is securely mounted a felt or other packing 8 (Figs. 1 and 3) adapted with the felt packing 5 of plates 3 to completely surround the journal J when the dustguard is in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Each sector I is provided with a perforation 7b through which extends a pin 9 having flattened heads to at each end closely overlying the plates 3, the pins Q being movable in the slots 3d so that the sector shoes 7 may move from positions within the rack 3, as shown in Fig. 3, into extended positions shown in Fig. 1 in which the sector shoes "I embrace the lower periphery of journal J. Slots 3d are wider than the diameters of pins 9, so that under severe impact shock this would allow snap spring I3 to move sector shoes I laterally independently of plates 33. However, should sector shoes move laterally they would still maintain an unbroken seal around the axle because of the tongue extension of one sleeve which fits the groove of the other sector shoe. Cover plates II (Fig. 2) which are of the same shape as the plates 3 but which are not provided with any slots such as 3d are preferably provided on plates 3 so as to present a smooth exterior to the inner and outer faces of the rack. The fiat heads of pins t slide between the plates 3 and II. Plates II are applied to keep the dirt from entering slots 3d and to prevent pins s from coming in contact with the inside of the rough cast journal box, which might prevent the dustguard from being applied or removed.

As shown, the upper ends of the sector shoes I are slotted as at Ic, said slot crossing the holes ID for the purpose hereinafter explained.

In order to actuate the sector shoes 7 by and with the upward or lowering movement of the ticularly the box. I I

cover I-,' an inverted u-shaped snap spring-I3 respect to the journal J 'tosuit discrepancies in the construotion'of thejournal box, or more pardustguard cavity B ofth'e journal The legs of snap spring I3 are bowed downwardly, as shown, the same entering the upper end of the rack 3-3, and being provided on their lower ends with hooks 13b, 'as-show-nvmore particularly in Figs. 7 and 8,. theg said hooks surrounding the pins 9 carried by the sector shoesI, and the lower endsfof the legsfief snap spring l3 being adapted to enter the slots of the sector shoes I so thatf'when thecover I is pulled upwardly to remove the 'rack'L3-;' 3 from the cavity B of the journal box, the' snap spring [3 will pull the sector shoes I from'their normally closed positions shown in Fig. 1, in which they encircle the lower portion of journal J, into uppermost position shown in Fig. 3. The sector shoes I lies between the plates 3-3 of the rack, and when in the position shown in Fig. 3 clear the overall width of journal J, as indicated in Fig. 3, in which position the dustguard rack 3-3, including the cover I, and snap spring I3 may be readily removed from the dustguard cavity B without resorting to dismantling of the journal box, or to the use of any extraneous tools for causing separation of parts.

When the parts are thus raised, as shown in Fig. 3, it will be noted that leaf springs l4 mounted on blocks I5 at the uppercorners of the rack 3--3 will engage the outer periphery of the sector shoes I and thereby serve as guides for the sector shoes I which with the slots 3d causes the shoes 'I to move in an arcuate path during the opening movement of the shoes I into the position shown in Fig. 3. The same springs I4, during closing movement of the shoes I into position shown in Fig. 1, when the cover I is being inserted down into the dustguard cavity B will cause the sector shoes I to move in substantially the same arcuate path so as to close around the lower periphery of journal J. Springs I4 are preferably made long enough to engage the upper beveled ends of the sector shoes I when the latter are in closed position, as shown in'Fig. 1, to maintain the lower ends of the sector shoes I in locking engagement around the lower periphery of journal J. Springs I4, when positioned as in Fig. 1, look the upper ends of sector shoes I in downward position, thus maintaining the pins 9 at the lower ends of slots 3d whereby the sector shoes 'I'I will maintain an unbroken, self adjusting, swingable, flexible and movable dustguard band around the lower half of the axle.

In order to form a dustproof engagement, the lower end of one sector shoe I is reduced in thickness to form a tongue, and is adapted to enter a correspondingly shaped slot in the lower end of the other sector shoe I, so that when the sectors are in closed position shown in Fig. 1 a complete unbroken ring of felt or other packing 6-8 will be formed around the journal J.

In Fig. 5 the slotted lower end of one of the sector shoes 1 is indicated by the numeral Ix, the same being adapted to receive the correspondingly shaped tongue at the lower end of the other sector shoe.

My novel dustguard constructed as above de- 6 scribed-forms' a-ready snap-on dustguard which dbesnot require that the axle be removed from thejournalbox inorderto apply or remove the dustguard- "All that is necessary to do is to -manually depress the rack- 3-3 into the dustguard cavity while in the. opened position shown in Fig. 3 and push the cover Idown into posi 'tioz'i' shown in Fig. 1. Zso'as to close the top of the; dustguard cavity, such movement causing the sector shoes I to embrace and interlock under the lowerperiphery ofjournal J due to the. ten- .sion. of the snap spring, and .to'the closing -action .of--'-the shoe actuating parts. The snap spring. I3 holds sector shoes 1 closely around the axle at all times by its snap action. This closing or snap action urges the sector shoes-tightly around the lower section of the journal and allows the tongue on one shoe to fit, inthe groove ;injthe. end of the other shoe, thus allowing the dustguard to be self-adjusting tofitunder-sized axles and compensate .for natural .wear. The dustguard, when thus positioned, owing to the flexibility of the snap spring I3, is free to move up or down or laterally of the dustguard cavity B by and with the movement of the axle journal J in said cavity, and thus, in all operating positions of the axle in the journal box, the dustguard will form a perfect shield around the journal. Moreover, the journal J may move axially of the journal box since the dustguard rack is of less thickness than the length of cavity B.

The use of my dustguard, therefore, effects a tremendous saving in time and labor in inserting, servicing, or replacing dustguards, in that it is not necessary to disassemble the axle from the journal box, my dustguard being, as stated above, a ready snap-on dustguard insertable or removable at will by merely inserting or removing the dustguard from the open end of the cavity B, without the aid or use of any extraneous tools whatsoever.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. A snap-on dustguard seal for a journal box or the like, having a cavity pocket thereacross provided with a bore for an axle journal, the top of said pocket being open; a removable closure for the said pocket; a rack within the pocket including spaced plates extending transversely of said journal and having opposed semi-circular recesses in their lower edges of slightly larger radius than the journal and receiving the upper half of the journal; a packing between the plate and journal contacting the upper half of said journal; said rack having upwardly extending arcuate slots therein at opposite sides of the journal; arcuate sector shoes disposed between the plates having hinge pins slidably engaging the slots and adapted in lowered position to close around the lower half of the journal; packing carried by the shoes adapted in lowered position of the shoes to contact the lower half of the journal; said shoes when raised being withdrawn within the said rack to clear the said journal; and means yieldably connecting the closure and the shoe pins outside of the arcuate path of said pins, whereby as the closure is raised the shoes will be withdrawn, and whereby as the closure is lowered the shoes will be lowered.

2. In a seal as set forth in claim 1, said yieldable means comprising a snap spring having legs passing down through the top or the rack and having their lower ends respectivel-y engagin outer edgeportions of theshoes when the latter are-withdrawn, said springs engaging downwardly and outwardlyzbeveled upper ends x'ofzthe shoes when the latter *arecin lowered position tomaintain the shoes closed around :the lower half of the .axle journal.

4. In combination with a seal as set 'forth in claim .1. said pins having flattened heads engaging the outer :faces of the rack plates; and face plates covering the said 'raokplates and the slots and pin heads.

5. In a seal as set forth in claim 1, said yieldable means comprising :an inverted U-shaped snap spring having legs passing down through the top of-the rack, the lower ends of the legs entering slots in the upper outer portions of the shoes, said pins crossing saidslots; andsaid legs having eyes-at their lower ends respeetively receiving thePins-of the shoes between the plates of the rack, said snap spring exerting a tension on the sector shoes when closed to hold the .shoes closely around the axle.

DONALD-D. BRYANT.

References Cited in the lib 'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "369,596 Fuller Sept. 6, 1887 1,337,509 Fletcher Apr. 20, 1920 1,6839149 Cremean Sept. 4, 1928 2,261.124 McBride Nov. 4, 1941 2,497,056 Mardulli Feb. 7, 1950 

